Antiskid-sander for automobiles



E. M; LITTELL.

ANTISKI D SANDER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED 0612; 1919.

1338,6405 e edApr. 27,1920.

5 j I JV/52071711? EARL M. LITTELL, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ANTI SKID-SANDER non AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A111. 27, 1920.

Application filed October 21, 1919. Serial No. 332,248.

To all whom it may concern. l

Be it known that I, EARL .M. LI'r'rn'LL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the 'countyo-f M rion and State of Indiana,have invented. a new and useful Antiskid- Sander for Automobiles, ofwhich the following is the specification.

lvluch danger to life and damage to property results from the tendencyof motor car wheels to skid when turning corners or deviating from astraight path while the roadway is slippery from rain or ice or othercauses.

It is well known that sandon thetrack adds to the traction of railwaycarwheels and it is the object of this invention to provide means fordischarging sand just ahead of the drive-wheels of automobiles, and thelike, on slippery pavements, .not so much to increase their pullingeificiency as to pre vent side-sliding commonly known as skidding.

panying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile with my inventionassembled therewith in position to operate, portions of the car beingbroken away to show the mechanism. 4 I

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 8 ofthe sand discharging mechanism. f

Fig. 3is a rear elevation and partial vertical section of the same.

Fig. 4 is a fragment in vertical section of the sand receptacle showingthe door construction for filling the receptacle.

Fiez' 5 is a perspective view of, a modified form-of device foractuating the sand discharge from the brake-lever, in common use, andFig. 6 is a modified form of discharge.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in, the several views.

The supply of sand for my-purpose is contained in a receptacle 6 whichis fastened under and to the rearof the running board 7 of the car ascloseto the rear drive-wheel as practicable. This receptacle has atapering bottom which preferably discharges through an oblong hole to insure the discharge of a thin and comparatively wide layer of sand sothere will be 1 accomplish the object of the invention by the mechanismillustrated in the accom-.

less likelihood of the drive-wheel missing the sand layer depositedthrough it.

An extension surrounds the discharge hole and slopes to the rear todischarge in a rearward direction toward the adjacent drive-wheel 9. Thedischarge from the extension is controlled further by a plate 10 hingedat its upper end by attachment in a fixed manner to a shaft 11, whichshaft passes loosely through ears 12, integral with the extension 8. Aspring 13 acts to normally press the plate against the extension 8 toclose the discharge from the latter.

Mounted in the receptacle above its discharge hole, on a rock-shaft 15,is a stirrer having blades 16, here shown as four in number, whichstirrer agitates the sand to keep it from packing and sticking and toinsure a readier discharge. The blades are preferably so proportionedand located as to measure the amount of sand and cut off the dischargewhen the shaft 15 is rocked a quarter of a revolution. The swinging openof plate 10 and rocking of the stirrerblades 16 are synchronized bythefollowing mechanism: The shaft 11 is provided with a fixed arm 17 andthe shaft 15 with a loose arm 18 having a pawl 38 which. engages withappropriate teeth on a ratchet'wheel 37 fixed on the shaft 15; the outerarms 17 and 18 are connected bymeans of a link 19. One end of a rod 20is pivoted to the link 19, and the other end of the rod is hinged tothebrake-rod 21, which connects with a footlever 22, present in allmotor cars as now commonly constructed.

By the above mechanism whenever the brakes are set, which generallyoccurs in the other piece and terminates with a lateral lug 24, whichextends outside of the sleeve through a longitudinal slot in the latter.4

The sleeve has a lateral lug with a threaded hole through which is aset-screw 25, which contacts the lug 2 1. The amount of lost motionpermitted between the two parts of rod 20 before the set-screw, contactsthelug 1 I 24 depends on the projection of the setscrew, and this can beregulated.

P A latch lever 33 is pivoted to ears from the extension 8 and ispressed by a spring 36 toposition to lock the plate 10 when the latteris closed. A rod 34 connects the lever 33 with the sleeve 23. The sleevemoves an appreciable distance before the rod is actuated to swingplate10 open, which advance movement ,unlatches the plate'10 in time for itto be opened without being held by the latch.

The drawing shows the rod 20 as attached to the general brake-rod, butit may be connected with the emergency brake-rod where :it is desiredthat the sanding mechanism should function. At other times it is turnedtothe position shown by the dotted lines,

when the operation of the foot-lever in controlling the brakes will notoperate the sanding mechanism. A hinge-piece 29, for the attachment ofrod 20 to. brake-rod 21, is in two parts, clamped together by bolts asshown in Figs. 2 and 3, for quick and convenient attachment to cars inuse.

I have described the device for one side of an automobile, but it willbe understood that the mechanism is used in .du'plicate one for eachrunning board to supply sand in front of both of the traction wheels ofthe car. The two operating rods 20 will connect with the samebrake-leverx22.

A door 30is provided in an opening -in i the front of thesand-receptacle for filling,

the latter. Itis hinged at its lower edge and has a suitable lock 31'.It also has side flanges 32 to keep the sand from falling out thereduring the filling operation.

thus fullydescribed my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secureby Letters Patent of "the United States, is

1. The combination with an automobile, of sand-holding receptacleshaving discharges upon the roadway immediately in front of the tractionwheels of the automobile, closures for said discharges, manually voperated means for opening the discharges and adjustable means in saidlast means {or yarying the extent of the opening.

2. The combination with an automobile having a brake lever, ofsand-holding receptacleshavi'ng discharges upon the roadway immediatelyinfront of the traction' wheels of the automobile, closures for saiddischarges, means for opening the discharges when the brake is set, andmeans for regulating the amount of discharge.

3. The combination with an automobile having a brake-lever, ofsand-holding reway immediately in front of-the traction wheels of theautomobile, closures for said discharges, means operated by the manipulation of the brake-lever for opening the discharges, means forregulating thesize of the openings, and brakedever mechanism adapted atwill to render the sanding mechanism inoperative.

4. The combination with an automobile,

of sand-holding receptacles having disceptacles having discharges uponthe roadcharges upon the roadway in front of the traction wheels of theautomobile, closures for said discharges, latches to hold the closuresin closed positions, manually operated means for opening the dischargesand for the automatic unlatching of-the closures preliminary to saidopening.

The combination with an automob' e, of sand-holding receptacles havingdischarges upon the roadway, closures for said discharges, stirrers inthe receptacles which also measure tr: e amount of sand discharged, andmanually iperated means for opening and closing the closures and forsimultaneously operating the stirrers.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis, Indianathis 16th day of Oct, 1919.

' EARL M. LITTELL.

